


This Takes Me Back

by framboise



Series: A Westerosi Halloween [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Costumes, Fluff, LGBTQ history, M/M, Reminiscing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-05
Updated: 2017-10-05
Packaged: 2019-01-07 14:42:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 903
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12234963
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/framboise/pseuds/framboise
Summary: Stannis and Davos meet while chaperoning a tween Halloween party; only to discover that they have already met years before, back when their hairlines were more impressive, and their outfits were a little tighter...





	This Takes Me Back

**Author's Note:**

> This is part of a series of standalone multipairing Halloween-themed stories.

 

 

Davos is standing in a school hall decorated with wince-inducing shades of orange and black, watching a bunch of tweens hyped up on sugar who are wearing costumes he doesn't recognise go through the usual early mating dances of youth - with the boys on one side of the hall and the girls resolutely on the other. Such is his penance, for taking a part-time job as a woodwork teacher here, now that he's looking to keep busy after his retirement from the Navy.

There are other teachers and parents here tonight, and he's had a few polite chats, but there's one particular man he's had his eye on from across the hall, a man who's striding over to join him next to the punch table right now. Davos thinks he's generally got a good radar for these things, and he's pretty sure this man has been returning his casual glances. He's tall; with dark, receding hair; a good amount of stubble; a trim shape; and absolutely piercing eyes, he notices now, as he meets him face to face.

They exchange polite greetings, and shake hands, although the other man – Stannis, he says his name is – seems to give him a bit of a strange look when he introduces himself as Davos, but maybe that's just because it's an unusual name. Stannis isn't wearing a wedding ring, even though Davos knows he must be a parent to be here tonight because he doesn't recognise him from the teacher lounge. He thinks that the other man looks to see if he's wearing a ring too, but that might just be a trick of the light.

And then the DJ sets up a song that Davos recognises; a particular thumping set of synthbeats and a woman's soaring voice; and he couldn't ask for a more perfect conversation opener.

"Oh, this song takes me back, I don't think I've heard it since Fire Island in the 90s," he says, using one of his failproof references. Fire Island is often vague enough that most straight men won't get the nod, and if they do then they're probably allies so it won't matter.

"What year?" Stannis says, without looking at him, and Davos's heart does a little skip of joy.

"'92."

"Did you have the beard then?" he asks, a little nonsensically.

"No."

"It suits you better," he says, and gives this smirk that hits Davos right in the gut.

"Oh my god!" Davos says, "it was _us_ on the boat drifting out in the bay, that was _you_! You got out into the water and paddled us home, you idiot, we were so drunk I was worried you'd drown. God, I'm so sorry I didn't recognise you."

"It was your name I recognised, and I didn't give you my real name back then," Stannis says.

"I shall accept your number in humble apology then," Davos chances.

"Done," the other man says, with a smirk.

The music changes to some terrible upbeat boppy thing, and all the children start jumping up and down and shaking the floor.

"I came back the next year actually, to Fire Island," Davos reflects, "but I didn't see you. Of course, there were lots of people who didn't come back the next year then."

Stannis nods, and reaches over to squeeze his arm.

"A whole generation gone," Davos pauses, and then coughs. "Still, makes you want to live out your best life to make up for it, to honour them, you know; though I'm not sure my current dull domesticity is quite what I had envisaged."

Stannis snorts, "Me either. I definitely didn't see a daughter in my future."

"But you wouldn't take her back."

" _God_ no. The ex-wife, I'd take that back," he says, and Davos laughs, remembering the sly humour of the man who had caught his eye that sweltering summer night.

"I remember my outfit now," Davos says, "I was in the Navy back then, so I decided I'd just wear my usual white uniform."

"It was a good choice," Stannis says, his voice gravelly.

"What were you, I've forgotten?"

"I was Robin Hood," he says, bringing up a hand to his forehead as if he's in pain, "in a terrible pair of tiny green shorts."

"I _remember_ them," Davos says delightedly; an image of firm, furry thighs in tight green satin, popping into his mind, "Do you still have them, by any chance?

"No," Stannis says, looking quite stern, and then softens. " _Robin Hood_ , and yet I went into banking," he sighs.

"A man in _finance_? Very nice, you must keep a nice home then," Davos teases.

"I have a wine cellar," Stannis says, in a gloriously dry tone of voice.

"God, _don't_ , I'll swoon," Davos says, reaching out to squeeze a rather-firm bicep, "I'm parched for a drink."

Stannis coughs and looks down, "My daughter is getting picked up later by her mother, if you wanted to come round tonight and taste some of the wines?"

Stannis looks up, carefully, although Davos doesn't know quite how he can't see that he's totally gagging for it.

"I don't mind if I do," Davos replies, and they smile at one another and then turn back to watching the crowd; and spend the rest of the night listening to godawful music and thinking about the dancefloors of their youth, and the wine cellars and comfortable couches and beds of their older age.

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> please comment, I'd love to hear what people think :)
> 
> Also, if you were wondering what song they were reminiscing about it's that absolute banger 'Rhythm is a Dancer' 
> 
> my tumblr: [framboise-fics](http://framboise-fics.tumblr.com)


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